ORNGE has hired a new number two man to help run the $150 million-a-year publicly-funded air ambulance service.

ORNGE has hired a new number two man to help run the $152 million-a-year publicly-funded air ambulance service.

The service, rebuilding after scandal, chose former Skyservice President Rob Giguere to oversee the aviation and operations centre divisions. He reports to the interim chief executive officer, Ron McKerlie.

There was no job search — ORNGE had used Giguere as an adviser since April and Monday made the job permanent.

In a statement released by ORNGE, Giguere said he is pleased to work with the executive team “as we continue to build a world class air ambulance service.”

One year ago last week ORNGE started making news when a Star investigation revealed patient safety issues, odd plans for international expansion, executive perks and high salaries. The first story detailed how ORNGE was refusing to reveal salaries of president Chris Mazza and numerous other executives. The only top salary revealed on the provincial Sunshine List was that of then chief operating officer, Tom Lepine, who was paid $282,000 (the Star later revealed he received an additional $50,000 in consulting fees in 2011). Eventually, Mazza’s salary ($1.4 million) and others were released, new management and a new board were put in place and ORNGE vowed to be more transparent.

Monday, the Star asked ORNGE to reveal Giguere’s salary. ORNGE public relations executive Jennifer Tracey said it would not be revealed now, but would be posted next March on the annual Sunshine List.

ORNGE had other chief operating officers of various divisions over the years and their salaries ranged between $410,000 and $430,000, including taxable benefits. An ORNGE insider said Giguere’s salary is “nowhere near this.”

A former Air Canada pilot who held executive posts at that airline, Giguere most recently ran Skyservice Airlines, which collapsed in 2010 after a crushing debt level forced the charter service into receivership.

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